Crispy Fish and Taro 'Chips' With Guava Dipping Sauce
Recipe GLPR0f024e426dbb3d
Whole marinated fish and delicate taro rounds, both fried until golden and crispy, served alongside a silky-smooth guava sauce infused with tropical fruit juices and finished with macadamia nut oil. A vibrant, elegant dish that combines savory umami with bright, sweet-tart flavors.
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Ingredients
¼ cup naturally brewed soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 lemons, juiced
¼ cup canola oil
2 serrano chiles, de-stemmed and minced
2½ pounds whole mixed fish, eviscerated and scaled
1 large onion, sliced
5 guavas, peeled and roughly chopped
2 guavas, sliced, for garnish
½ cup sake
1 cup fresh pineapple juice
2 limes, juiced
¼ cup macadamia nut oil
1 large taro, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 cups rice flour
pink salt
black pepper
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
canola oil, for deep frying
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, lemon juice, 1/4 cup canola oil, and minced serrano chiles. Mix well to form the marinade. Place the prepared whole fish into the marinade, ensuring all surfaces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the guava sauce. Heat a saucepan over high heat and lightly coat the bottom with canola oil. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped guavas to the pan and stir well.
Pour the sake into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add the pineapple juice and lime juice, then continue simmering until reduced by another 50 percent, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
Transfer the guava mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the blended sauce back into a clean bowl and whisk in the macadamia nut oil until fully incorporated. Season to taste with pink salt and black pepper. Set aside.
Fill a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot with canola oil and heat to 300°F. Carefully place the taro rounds into the hot oil and blanch for about 5 minutes, until tender but not fully crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Do not season yet.
Increase the oil temperature to 400°F. While the oil heats, remove the fish from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Place the rice flour into a shallow dish. Dredge each fish thoroughly in the rice flour, coating all sides evenly and shaking off excess.
Carefully place the floured fish into the 400°F oil. Fry until the exterior is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 145°F at the thickest part, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. In the final minute of cooking, add the blanched taro rounds to the oil to finish crisping them. Using a slotted spoon, transfer both fish and taro to a clean paper towel-lined plate.
Season the fried fish and taro chips immediately with pink salt and black pepper to taste. Arrange the fish and taro on a large platter. Garnish with the sliced fresh guavas and chopped parsley. Serve the guava dipping sauce in a small bowl on the side.
